1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the printing industry and in particular to coating apparatus used in conjunction with printing presses for the application of liquid coating fluid to the surface of a workpiece. In particular, the present invention relates to coating apparatus which apply a liquid coating fluid to a workpiece while the workpiece travels over a press cylinder rotating in a printing press. More particularly, the present invention relates to coating apparatus for applying a liquid coating fluid to a workpiece on a press cylinder where access to the surface of the cylinder is restricted due to the orientation of adjacent cylinders operating in the printing press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many situations in the printing industry, it is desirable to apply a liquid coating fluid to the surface of a workpiece as it travels through a printing press. In order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to position a coating apparatus in sufficient proximity to the printing press so that the applicator means of the coating apparatus can contact the workpiece and apply the coating fluid as the workpiece moves over one of the press cylinders. Once the applicator means comes in contact with the press cylinder, a "nip" is formed through which the workpiece can travel.
In the printing industry, there are several types of printing presses having press cylinders which are oriented within the press frame in such a manner that access to their surface is limited. Consequently, problems have arisen when artisans have attempted to position a coating apparatus within sufficient proximity to the printing press so that the applicator means of the coating apparatus can form a "nip" with a particular press cylinder in the press.
These problems are mostly due to spacial constraints imposed by other press cylinders which are adjacent to the particular press cylinder sought to be contacted. For example, in one commercially available printing press (manufactured by the Komori Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), the impression cylinder is positioned between a blanket cylinder and a delivery or transfer cylinder in a configuration that severely restricts access to the surface of the impression cylinder. Consequently, existing coating assemblies cannot be used with such presses where contact with the impression cylinder is desired since the diameter of the applicator roller of these assemblies is too large to clear the space between the blanket cylinder and the delivery or transfer cylinder.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a coating apparatus which can be used in conjunction with a printing press to apply a liquid coating fluid to a workpiece traveling on a press cylinder having restricted access to its surface.